210 OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



may be easily seen by placing a large porous bone 

 amongst the roots of a vine. In a few months it will 

 be literally covered with rootlets which have sought 

 it out and find their nutriment in its recesses. 



Leather, hair, horns, hoofs, woollen rags and other 

 animal offal possess a similar action to bones. They 

 all possess the valuable property of lying undecom- 

 posed in the soil for long periods, yet yield readily to 

 the disintegrating action of plant roots. Hence, 

 while they afford abundant and valuable nourish, 

 ment to the vine, it is not surfeited by them as this 

 nutriment must be wanted and sought before it will 

 be given up. 



Ashes of wood, whether fresh or leached are a 

 powerful manure for the vine, and probably contain 

 all that it requires. Leached ashes may be applied 

 as a top dressing in almost any quantity with excel- 

 lent effect, but a more cautious use must be made of 

 fresh wood ashes, they being much more powerful 

 and caustic. Coal ashes have hitherto been deemed 

 utterly worthless, and are usually thrown into the 

 street. To some soils, however, particularly those 

 which are too heavy, they are a very useful addition, 

 and as they are a powerful absorbent, there is no 

 doubt that if mixed with night soil, or some similar 

 matter, they would prove an excellent article more 

 lasting, and consequently better than night soil by 



